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Paying the rent

Ingredients

Bills bills bills! Above all, you’ve got to pay that rent. It is your greatest responsibility as a tenant to pay the rent consistently and on time. Failure to fulfill this responsibility could cause some serious problems for you, and you may be taken to the Régie du logement and potentially be evicted from the dwelling. However don’t worry, paying your rent is fairly straightforward, and there are regulations created by the Régie du logement concerning how and when to pay the rent. Remember, even if your landlord is not meeting their responsibilities by maintaining the safety and sanitation of your dwelling you are not entitled to deal with this problem by withholding rent.

Instructions:

Ensure you pay the rent on time. Before signing a lease consider the amount of rent the dwelling in question requires. Think carefully about the amount and ensure that you feel comfortable with paying that much every month.

Pay the rent as it is stated in your lease, on the date you need to pay it and to the person you need to pay it to. You should make an agreement with your landlord in regards to the details of this transaction. Agree on a time and a place to pay the rent (generally rent is due on the 1st of every month). In the eyes of the law, if no particular arrangement has been made, the landlord has the responsibility to collect the rent at the tenant’s home.

Be sure to get receipts from the landlord when you pay your rent. This is really important! You can pay the rent to your landlord, their management company or the landlord’s mandatory. If you are unsure of who to pay the rent to due to circumstances such as a sale of the building, a bankruptcy or a death, you may apply to the Régie du logement to deposit your rent with them.

Know that you are not required to pay with post dated cheques. Nor are you required to pay more than one month at a time.

FAQ

What if my lease states that I have to give my landlord post dated cheques?

This is an illegal clause and you cannot sign your rights away. This means that this clause is invalid and should not be followed.

Can my landlord evict me if I pay my rent a day late?

The landlord can file against you at the Régie du logement to retrieve the amount of rent, any application costs and interest, as of the day after rent is due. However, the landlord should notify you with a formal notice in order to avoid paying the costs of the application and interest. Technically, this means that if you pay the rent a day late you cannot evicted. However frequent late payments can become a problem.

What can my landlord do if I am always late with paying rent?

This all depends on how late. If it exceeds three weeks, your landlord can file against you at the Regie du logement to retrieve the amount owed. They could also file for resiliation of the lease and evict your whole household. If you’re frequently paying late but not exceeding three weeks, your landlord can again file to resiliate your lease however they must prove that this lateness is affecting them financially. In other words, your landlord will have to prove to the Régie du logement that you paying the rent late is causing them late mortgage payments.

Terms and conditions of use: This site wishes to generally explain Quebec’s residential lease matters and, in no event, does the information provided constitute a legal opinion of any kind. You must contact your own legal advisor if you need assistance with your specific issue. The information presented on the site is for informative purposes only. UTILE and its representatives do not make any warranties or representations as to the accuracy or completeness of the information provided. Under no circumstances shall UTILE and its representatives be liable for any loss, damage, liability or expense incurred or suffered which is claimed to have resulted from use of the Site, including without limitation, any fault, error, omission, interruption or delay with respect thereto.